Gear and rack device



Feb. 25 1930. I E, K/[NNEY 1,748,555

:IEMAND RACK DEVICE mea Jan. 24, 1925 2 Smets-sheet 1 uumulllllnmnl IZVI/ENTORl dJ/mdf Feb. 2,5, 1930. EQ KINNEY i GEAR ND RACK DEVICE Filed Jan. 24, 1925 2 sheets- Sheet 2 .4,5 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 25, 1930 UNITED STA-res PATENT OFFICE EARL KINNEY, OF. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, NEAR DAYTON, OHIO, ASS-IGNOR, BY MESNE GEARAND RACK DEVICE Application'filedv January 24, 1925. Serial No. 4,457.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sash-operating devices.

Itis the principal robject of my invention to provide means whereby several sash may 5 be opened or closed simultaneously from a single power unit bythe tension applied to an operating rack, thus permitting a uniform adjustment of the sash throughout the run i thereof. In the torsion type, an irregular ad- 10justment of the sash is theresult, those mostv distant from the power unit being opened a esser amount than those adjacent tothe power imit, due tothe torsion in the operating tube f or bar. l l -y It is also another object of my invention to apply tension to the tension member through y a power unit. y y v It is a further object of the invention to apply thrust to the sashoperatinggarmat right angles to the tension member.

My invention yalso relates to new and im-v proved means for aself adjustment of the v sash operating unit when the sash is opened or closed.

`In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 -is a perspective view of a section of monitor sash equipment provided with the mechanical sash operator of my invention.- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the power unit for ap vure 3 is ay sectional view. taken through the power unit onthe line 3 3 of Figure 5, show'- ing the tension membersV rand the pinionl in .mesh with them. Figure 4 is a sectional view of Figure 5, showing the worm drive. Figure 5 is a sectional view taken throughy the power unit on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, showing the worm gear and tension rack pinion. Fig- Aure 6 is aside elevational view of thek swivel joint employed between'the tension racks, to permit a partial rotation of thelatter wherev required. Figure 7 is a perspective 'means Figure 8 is a sectional view taken through theL sash operatoren the line 8-8 of Figure 9, showing the method of applying a transverse movement to the sash rack. Figure 9 is a sectional view italien through the plying tension to the tension member. Figf taken through the power unit on the line 4-4 l view of the sash operator and its mounting Y sash operator ontheline 9-9 ofFigure 8,

showing the rack spacing rollers. And Figure 10 is a perspective viewy of the tension member supporting means. i

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of my invention, the

l numeral 1 in Figure 1 indicates apower unit to be hereinafter more fully` described andA having attached'to the shaft thereof a sheave 2 adapted to receive` an'operati'ng chain 3.' 60

Thesheave 2 is provided with a guide yoke 4 provided with dependingarms -through gaged thereby, are two tension racks 6, 6 havl ingattached to the end offeach a swivel member 7 to be hereinafter described. The racks 6, 6 are adapted to be simultaneously extended or retracted bythe 'operator of the sheave.

Referring tov Figure 1, a section of the' monitor sash is shown, composed of several individual sashes 8, 8, 8, preferably hinged at their top edges to a structural member 9 and provided with a structural steel sill 10. l Although this type of constructionis employed, it is obvious to those skilled in this art that my device may be applied to any other form of construction; i

Secured to the steel sill 10 ata central point of each sash, is a sash operator 11 to be hereinafter described, and provided with a double sash rack 12 which, is pivoted to ythe sash proper by a lin-k 13 and U shaped member 14 secured tothe sash 8.:V The link 18 is secured to the double rack' by a bolt 15 lin a vertical' line, and the vlink is pivoted'to the U shaped member 14 by another bolt 16. at right angles tothe bolt 15, thus providing a flexible con-1` (See nection between `the sash rand rack. Figures 1 and 7 vThe sash operator 11 1s provided on each.

` which the chain 3 passes in order to assure the Y sel is provided with a swivel mounting in the arms 22.

Each one of the arms 22 is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to a vertical flange 24 of a clip 25, by bolts 26, and the clip is attached to the sill member 10 by bolts 27, thus providing a firm support for the sash operator. (See Figure 7.)

When the sash to be operated are of such width or spacing that the racks 22 are not of. suhcient length to connect the adjacent sash operators, a tubular link 28 is employed, with a forked member 29 bolted ineach end thereof. The racks 20, 2O are secured between the forked ends 30 of the member 29 by means of a bolt 31. (See Figures 1 and 7.)

Vrlhe'tubular link 28 is provided with a support 32 to prevent sagging or misalinement of the various tension members. The support 32 is preferably of inverted U shape, having formed integral with the open end thereof feet 33 which are secured to an angle support 34 by means of bolts 35. Each side of the support 32 is provided with two holes 36, 36 registering with corresponding holes in the opposite side. These holes 36 receive the axial projections 37 of two concave rollers 38 in which holes the latter are free to rotate. The tubular link 28 passes between these rollers, and is thus permitted a free movement' between them. The angle support 34 is secured to the sill member 10 by bolts 39 through the latter. (See Figures 1 and 10.)

My power unit will now be more fully described. Referring to Figure 2, the numeral 40 represents a housing having an enlarged upper portion 41 provided with a at cover 42 andl maintained in oil tight relation with a housing proper by screws 43 around its periphery.

Extending vertically through the upper portion 41 of the housing is the worin gear shaft 44 to which there is keyed or otherwise secured a spur gear 45 adapted to engage the spur teeth 46 on the pairs'of opposite racks 6, 6. (See Figure The sides of the housing 41 are provided with holes 47 through which the racks 6, 6 are free to pass when operated by the gear 45. These racks 6, 6 are engaged, adjacent to each side of the housing, by a iianged roller 48, whose function is to keep the racks in proper relation with ythe gear. A flange 49 upon the said rollers, engages the recess betweenfthe y pairs of racks, and thus effects a vertical alinement of the latter with respect to the holes 47. The rollers are provided at each end with an axial projection 50 which is journaled in a hole in the housing 41 and cover 42. (See Figures 3, 4 and 5'.)

In the reduced lower portion 51 of the housing 40, there is secured to the shaft 44 a worm gear 52. The projectingfend of the shaft is journaled in a hole in a boss 53 integral with a lower cover plate 54. At right angles to the worm shaft 44 is a worm shaft 55, whose one end is journaled in the lower housing 51 and whose opposite end projects through the latter to receive the sheave 2. (See Figures 3, 4 and 5.)

Mounted upon the shaft 55 is asuitable worm 56 to engage the worm gear 45 for the purpose of effecting a rotation of the latter when the sheave is rotated and thus to cause a corresponding movement of the racks 6, 6. (See Figures 4 and 5.) A

The power unit is secured to an angle support 57 which in turn is suitably secured to the sill 10.

The sash operator 11 consists of a housing 58 split at its central portion into an upper half 59 and a lower half 60, the two halves being'bolt'ed together by screws 61 which project through their adjacent flanges. (See Figure 7.) Projecting vertically between the upper andlower halves of the housing 58 is a shaft 62'whose ends are journaled in bosses GSintegral with the housing. Secured to this shaft 62 near its central portion arev two spur gears 64.

Through each hub-like projection 18 previously described, on each side of the housing 58, the tension racks 20, 2OV pass. The yhousing is also provided withsimilar'holes 65, 65 in its sides opposite the racks 20, 20, to permit the passage through them of the rack 12. These holes 65 and the holes'19'are so arranged that the racks 12 and 20 passing through them will mesh'with the teeth of the spur gears 64. (See Figure l8.) The racks are engaged adjacent to each side of the housing by a flanged roller 66 similar to the rollers 48, which maintains the racks in proper relation to the gears. A flange 67 upon the rollers 66 engages the recess between the pairs of racks, thus effecting a vertical alinement iof the latter with their respective holes 19 and 65 in the housing 58. By referring to Figures 8 and 9, it isapparent that one of the vrollers 66 is in contact with both pairs of racks 12 and 20, and it is therefore provided witha double flange 67@ for engagement with the recess between each pair' of racks. The rollers 66 are provided with axial projections 68 at each end, which are journaled in holes in the upper and lower faces of the housing 58 to permit a free rotation of the said rollers.

As previously described, my invention comprises a stationary power unithaving projecting therefrom tension racks 6, 6 adapted to be extended or retracted and connected with other tension racks 20, 20 of the sash operators, said sash operators being pivotally mounted in order to compensate for a circular movement of the sash 8 to which the rack 12 is attached. It is thereforeobvious that a means must be provided to permit a partial rotation of the racks 20, 20 without disturbing the racks 6, 6, and

roo

to this end I have provided the swivel joint shown inrFigure 6. The numeral k70 indicates a U shaped member, having in theends thereof holes 71 registering with similar holes 72 in the ends of the racks 6, 6 and 20, 2O and through which a bolt 73 passes. This bolt carries a `spacing collar 74 which is interposed between said rack members, and a spacing collar 7 5 between each rack and each side ofthe U shaped member 70. The eX- tended ends of the bolts 7 3 are provided with a lock washer 76 and a nut 77 by which means the above parts may be drawn tightly together to form a rigid connection between the U shaped members 7 0 and their respective racks. (See Figure 7 Y The adjacent ends of the two U shaped members 70, 70 are provided with holes 7 8 to receive a bolt 7 9 having within one of the members 7 0 under the head of the bolt 7 9 a bearing thrust collar 80. The threaded end of the bolt 79 is provided with a check nut Y 8l between the members 70, 70 and a lock washer 82 and a nut 83 within one of Said members, thus permitting a iirm connection between'one of the members 70 and the bolt 79, and a swivel connection between the other members 70 and said bolt, provided with the bearing 80 to allow a free rotation of the racks 20, 20 while under tension. p

Having described my invention, I claim: In a device of the type described, a double operating rack, a gear in mesh with said rack, a second double rack at substantially right angles to the rst rack, a gear in mesh with the second rack, the individual racks of each double rack being spaced a short distance apart, and a roller having a smooth surface engaging the smooth edges of the racks of each set, and having a central iange adapted to engage in the spaces between the racks of each set to maintain the first and second racks in proper relation to the gears.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sety my hand this 22d day of January, 1925.

EARL KINNEY. A 

